


Ghost

by expolsion



Series: hurting. [2]
Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: M/M, This Is Sad, i made myself emotional writing this, im sorry this fandom doesnt need more angst and yet here I am, mostly jake remembering his relationship with rich
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 12:09:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12840870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/expolsion/pseuds/expolsion
Summary: Jake finds a box of Rich's stuff and takes a trip down memory lane.





	Ghost

**Author's Note:**

> Let's jump back on the angst train, shall we?
> 
> You 100% have to read the first fic in the story to get this at all, sorry.
> 
> Also it's midnight and I didn't proofread, so please tell me about any mistakes!

Jake took a deep breath to steady himself and grabbed the box from the table and headed into th - his room. It was just his room now. He put the box on th- his bed and tried to do the breathing exercises he read about online - 4 counts in, hold for 7 counts, and out for 8 counts.  He walked over to the closet, tears forming in his eyes.  _ You know what? _ He thought.  _  FUCK HIM. _ He ran downstairs and grabbed a garbage bag and ran back upstairs and threw open the closet doors. He began ripping shirts off hangers and stuffing them in the garbage bag, regardless of who they actually belonged to. He moved to the other side of the room and threw open the drawers and started shoving pants and socks in the bag as well, all the while tears streaming down his face. He picked up the box again and was about to throw it in the bag as well when he stopped. It suddenly all became too much for him and before he knew it, he was on the floor, hot tears clouding his vision and blood pounding in his ears. He drew his knees into his chest and let himself cry. 

 

About a minute later, he stopped and tried the breathing exercise again.  _ 4, 7, 8. 4, 7, 8. 4, 7 ,8.  _ Eventually, he felt calm enough to open his eyes. The first thing he saw was the box. He debated for a second, maybe letting the past lie, but his curiosity won over and he carefully lifted the lid with shaking hands. There was a picture lying on top of a pile of papers. He picked it up, letting out a watery chuckle as he remembered the moment it was taken.

 

_ They had just moved into their first apartment, and they were painting. Rich was being the annoying little shit he was, whining the entire time, but Jake could tell he was having fun. They had just finished painting the bedroom when a smile spread across Rich’s face, and Jake could tell he was planning something. _ _   
_ _ “Wait a minute, what are you planning-” Jake could barely get the words out before Rich was up and running out of the room shouting behind him, “STAY RIGHT THERE!” _

_ In a minute, he was back and he had a disposable camera in his hand.  _

_ “I picked this up from the drugstore down the street when I went out to get us lunch.” _

_ Jake laughed. “Why? You know your phone takes pictures, right?” _

_ Rich huffed. “Yeah, I’m not an idiot! I just thought it would be cute, okay?” He said the last sentence in a quiet, almost embarrassed tone. _

_ “Well I, for one,” Jake said, getting up from his spot on the floor and wrapping Rich up in his arms from behind, “think it’s adorable.” _

_ Rich blushed. “Alright, let’s just take the picture, you big sap.” He raised his arm and pointed the camera at them. “Say cheese!” _

 

Jake smiled at the memory. But that smile quickly faded, as he remembered the events of the past year. He shook his head, trying to clear the bad thoughts away, and picked up the next paper in the pile. “Oh my god, it’s our fucking lease.” He murmured.

 

_ “I’ll keep it safe, I swear. I just think we should have all our paperwork in the same place!” _

_ “Keep it safe? Where? In a shoebox in the damn closet?” _

_ “No!” Rich protested. Jake raised an eyebrow and he faltered. “Yeah…” he admitted. “But do you have any better ideas?” _ _   
_ _ “Yeah!” Jake said.  _

_ “Like?” Rich prompted. _

_ “A… safe?” Jake replied, although he didn’t seem too sure of himself. _

_ “Oh really?” Rich said in return. “And where are we going to get the money for a safe? You know we’re poor as shit, bro.” _

_ “Well, a shoebox isn’t great either!” _

 

Jake remembered they had gone back and forth on this for a while, before Rich promised he wouldn’t put it in a shoebox in their closet, and Jake relented and let him put it where he thought it would be safe. “That asshole put it in a shoebox in the basement. I can’t believe him.” But he laughed in spite of himself. His foot started to buzz with the familiar pins and needles of it falling asleep, so he picked up the box and moved downstairs to the living room and sat down on the couch. He turned on the television to the news just for some background noise and started going through the box again. The next item up was a picture of them on top of a mountain. He remembered that day - He had practically had to pay Rich to go hiking with him.

 

_ “Jaaaake. Jaaaaakey-boy. I’m so tired, can we stop?” _

_ Jake sighed and turned to face his boyfriend. “Look, we’re almost to the top. Only a couple hundred more feet, can you do it?”  _

_ Rich made a face and huffed, but said, “Fine.” _

_ They trudged up the rest of the mountain and when they finally got to the top, Rich let out a whistle. “Wow, that’s gorgeous.” _

_ Jake smiled, victorious. “I told you it would be worth it.” _

_ “Fine,” Rich relented, with a small smile. “You were right. I know being right is practically your fucking kink.” _

_ “Hey!” Jake protested. “Not in public.” _

_ Rich laughed, the deep, rough laugh that Jake loved. “Oh!” He said. “I almost forgot.” Rich quickly shrugged his backpack off his shoulders and took out the disposable camera he bought nearly 6 months ago.  _

_ “Jeez, you still have that?” Jake said. “You know they’re disposable for a reason, right?” _

_ “Oh, shut up.” Rich replied, and gently slapped Jake’s chest. “Now smiled for the picture.”  _

_ They both smiled, big cheesy grins directed right at the lens. “Thank you.” Rich said, somewhat exasperated. And he turned and  took a picture of the view from the top, then a picture of Jake. “You know , you have to take a picture of the view.” Rich said with a wink.  _

_ Jake gasped. “You are so cheesy!” _

 

Jake sighed, and put the picture to the side. He was about to pick up another picture from the box, when a familiar voice from the television caught his attention. He sat bolt upright and exclaimed, “Holy shit, is that Rich?”

**Author's Note:**

> uh. so. Sorry if you're sad now. I know I am.
> 
> Come yell at me at genderfluid-jaredkleinmann.tumblr.com (I know misery loves company!)


End file.
